Solderless electrical terminal



Jan. 19, 1937. R N ROWE 2,068,152

' soLDERLEss ELECTRICAL TERMINAL` l' Filed Marcus, 19:54

Patented Jan. 19. 1937 The Trumbull Electric Manufacturing Company, Plainville, Conn.. a corporation' or Connecticut Application March 3, 1934, Serial No. 713,789

Claims.

to which a cable end may be readily attached or removed when desired.

In carrying out the invention I provide a rugged and rigid terminal member having a recess or l passage for the reception of the end of the cable.

At right angles to this recess is arranged another passage or recess containing a movable clamping saddle and a clamp screw. The lower face of the saddle and the bottom of the recess may j be provided with supplemental means for interlocking with the cable end to hold it more securely in place.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the parts of one form of my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view showing a cable end held in place.` Y Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view partially on the planel of the line -t of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a detailed view of the underside of the clamping saddle.

The device preferably consists of a supporting plate or base E with a body or housing in- 3 tegral therewith and provided with a recess or socket 9 for the end of the cable. Another passage y it at right angles to the cable passage is screw threaded and of somewhat larger diameter than the passage il. The clamping saddle il is adapted to be inserted into the recess I0 and has arms I2 for embracing the sides of the cable or wire.

The clamp screw or nut I4 fits into the threaded.

passage I0 and is rotatable against the upper face of the saddle il to force thesaddle downwardly against the cable end I5 so as to compact the wires and spread the cable end into the position shown in Fig. 3. The bottom of therecess 9 may be provided with a depression I6 for kinking and thus more securely holding' the wire.`

An additional rib or ribs I1 may also be provided in the bottom of the cable passage 9 to interlockA with the wires of the cable end.

I also preferably provide one ormore ribs I8 in the under face of the saddle to cooperate with the upper part ofthe cable end to furnish additional interlock and security. The passage 9 pref'- erably extends inward beyond the passage lll to form a pocket I9 for the tip end of the cable' so that when the saddle II bites into the sides and top ofi the wires the tips of the wires can serve as additional interlocking members to prevent the accidental withdrawal of the cable.

By forming the nut Id with an opening 2@ the saddle member can be seen through the opening so that the operator will know when the nut is seated against the upper end of the saddle. Preferably the housing `and nut are so designed that the nut is completely out of sight when properly seated and Athe housing has only a smooth upper 15 surface which aiords no dangerous projecting angles.

The laterally oset portions or side bays it in the housing recess shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 enable the saddle side portions or arms I2 to readily get outside of the wire strands, which is an important advantage not possessed by constructions in which an arcuate saddle moves down between side walls which are not provided with such side bays or offset portionsv in the housing 25 recess. Having the side arms I2 laterally outside of the' conductor strands in effect causes the side portions of the saddle to move radially inward as well as downward in effecting a clamping action on the wire.

Another feature is Jthe tapered shape to these oiset portions ofthe housing recess. As shown in Figs. 2 and 4 at the height of the median plane on which Fig. 4- is taken, these offset bays are comparatively narrow withthe result there is 3 less tendencyfor the strands to be spread laterally into a narrow recess than there is for them to spread under compression into a space Whichis wider longitudinally of therwire. The spreading tendency' is a maximum` at the height of the 4 median plane 4--4 in Fig. 2 where the offset bays are quite narrow, yet wide enough for the saddle side arms I2 to slide down outside the wire. The

saddle side arms are shown as being similarly tapered to conform to the tapered recesses I3. 45

From Fig. 2 it may be seen that the saddle arms I2 extend below the median plane II-ll before substantial pressure is applied to the saddle.

Another feature includes the Istops shown in Fig. 3 to limit downward movement of the saddle. 50 yThe saddle being substantially circular inl plan view as shown in Figs. 1 and 5 is adapted to the tapered shape of the oiset base. Having the sides I2 laterally outside of the' conductor strands in eiect enablesfat least. some of the side portions 55 ef the saddle te be easily wedged between the conductor strands and the outer walls of said side bays in effecting a clamping action on the Wire.

I claim:

1. An electrical connector including a 'housing provided with a recess in which a strandedconductor is adapted to be received, said recess having side bays,L clamping means for a conductor consisting oi a saddle `having a concave surface adapted to ilt around and laterally outside the conductor, said saddle having side arms adapted to extend over opposite sides of the conductor and into said side bays, the end portions of said side arms within said side bays being capable of movement to below the axis of said recess whereby said inner en d portions of the side arms may be easily wedged between the conductor strands and the outer walls of said side bays, `and a nut rotatable independently of said saddle for applying pressure thereto.

2. An electrical connector including a housing provided with -a recess in which a stranded conductor is adapted to be received, clamping means for a conductor consisting of a saddle having a concave surface adapted to t around and laterally outside the conductor, said saddle having side portions adapted to extend over opposite sides of the conductor, said recess being provided with laterally oiiset portions on opposite sides in which said saddle side portions may slide as the conductor 'is compressed by said saddle, and a nutV rotatable independently of said saddle for applying pressure thereto, the laterally offset opposite portions of the `housing recess being tapered away from the nut and extending at least substantially. as far as an axial central plane through said recess,`and the saddle side portions also being substantially similarly tapered.

3.- An electrical connector including a housing provided with a recess in whichv a stranded conductor is adapted to be received, clamping means for a conductor consisting of a saddle having a concave surface adapted to t around and laterally outside the conductor, said saddle having side portions adapted to extend over opposite sides of the conductor, said recess being provided with laterally oiset portions on opposite sides in which said saddle side portions may slide as the conductor is compressed by said saddle, and a nut rotatable independently of said saddle for applying pressure thereto, the laterally oiset opposite portions of the housing recess terminating in a stop portion on each side of the housing recess for limiting the clamping movement of said saddle and nut.

4. An electrical connector including a housing provided with a recess having side bays, a saddle of substantial circular shape and provided with tapered-side arms adapted to slide within said side bays and extend below the axis of said recess to enclose and compress some of the sides of a stranded conductor of nearly the size of said recess, a recessed nut countersunk within said housing when the saddle has compressed a conductor in said housing, said nut being of larger diameter than said saddle, the housing recess being substantially longer than the diameter of the saddle and at least one conductor gripping ridge on said saddle intermediate said tapered side arms extending transversely of a conductor in said housing.

5. An electrical connector including a housing provided with a recess in which a stranded conductor is adapted to be received, clamping means for a conductor consisting of a saddle having a concave surface adapted to iit around and laterally outside the conductor, said saddle having side portions adapted to extend over opposite sides of the conductor, said recess being provided With laterally offset portions on opposite sides in which said saddle side portions may slide as the conductor is compressed by said saddle, and a nut rotatable independently of said saddle for applying pressure thereto, the laterally offset lopposite portions of the housing recess being tapered away from the nut and extending at least substantially as far as an axial central plane through said recess, and the saddle side portions also being substantially similarly tapered, the concave surface of the saddle being provided with conductor gripping ridges intermediate its opposite tapered portions, and the side of the housing recess opposite said saddle being also provided with complementary conductor gripping ridges.

RAYMOND N. ROWE. 

